Conventionally, such monitors have been in practical use that are capable of providing a stereoscopic view of two-eye parallax images (binocular parallax images) taken from two viewpoints, by using an exclusive-use device such as stereoscopic glasses or the like. Further, in recent years, such monitors have also been in practical use that are capable of providing, for a viewer with naked eyes, a stereoscopic view of multiple-eye parallax images (e.g., nine-eye parallax images) taken from a plurality of viewpoints, by using a light beam controller such as a lenticular lens. Two-eye parallax images and nine-eye parallax images that are displayed on a monitor capable of providing a stereoscopic view may be generated, in some situations, by estimating depth information of an image taken from one viewpoint and performing image processing while using the estimated information.
As for medical image diagnosis apparatuses such as X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) apparatuses, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) apparatuses, and ultrasound diagnosis apparatuses, apparatuses that are capable of generating three-dimensional medical images (volume data) have been in practical use. Conventionally, the volume data generated by such a medical image diagnosis apparatus is arranged to be a two-dimensional image (a rendering image) by performing various types of image processing processes (rendering processes) and is displayed in a two-dimensional manner on a general-purpose monitor. For example, the volume data generated by such a medical image diagnosis apparatus is arranged to be a two-dimensional image (a volume rendering image) that reflects three-dimensional information by performing a volume rendering process and is displayed in a two-dimensional manner on a general-purpose monitor.
However, even if the two-dimensional volume rendering image generated from the volume data is displayed on the general-purpose monitor, it is not possible to stereoscopically reproduce complicated structures of a human body rendered in the volume rendering image. Further, specifications related to the stereoscopic method used by a monitor may vary depending on the medical image diagnosis apparatus and apparatuses connected to the medical image diagnosis apparatus.